How could I forget braising - that's probably the best way sush - try it sometime. Just brown both sides in some butter and oil, add some chicken stock and/or wine, seasonings, put the lid on - checking on it occasionally - turn if necessary. Then you choose the flavors from there i.e., kalamata olives with capers and rosemary or kalamata and feta with oregano, etc.

In my locality, "boiling fowl" (id em, old layers and some cocks past productivity) completely dissappeared from the market some 20 years ago.

The problem is however, that you cannot REALLY make Coq au Vin with something that will cook and be tender in 5 to 15 minutes. These old boiling hens had FLAVOUR, and the cooking process and the wine extracted it.

I have heard you can still buy them in certain ethnic localities or shops. But generally, no. If you Do have tough, old , tasty hens, then ENJOY them. They probably go to make dogfood these days. Lucky dogs.

And just what the (*^%%*&$(& is an "IRON CHEF" ??

I have seen this phrase bandied about in the forum for some time, with no indication of any meaning. Is it a chef that is so set in his(or her) ways that they rust if left out in the rain?

The liquid when you braise should be at simmering or less, but technically, what seperates braising from simmering is that with the food you are braising, the liquid should only come up to about 3/4 of the way (i.e. Lamb Shanks, Osso Bucco, etc.).

Braising refers more to the cooking method, while simmering refers more to the temperature of the liquid itself. Simmering also refers to stock, soups, sauces, etc. which you could never really braise, unless say you have a huge beef or ham shank in there.

While I'm not the biggest advocate of him, Emerill Lagasse actually has quite a few good braising recipes if anyone is in need of ideas/inspiration.

The liquid when you braise should be at simmering or less, but technically, what seperates braising from simmering is that with the food you are braising, the liquid should only come up to about 3/4 of the way (i.e. Lamb Shanks, Osso Bucco, etc.).

Braising refers more to the cooking method, while simmering refers more to the temperature of the liquid itself.

Humm ... actually ..... for braising the liquid should only come about 1/2 way up, or less ... 3/4 of the way up and you're getting into stewing territory. But you are right, "simmer" refers to a temperature (120-180F).... not a specific cooking method.

Mudbug and I had the same instructor at the "Culinary Academy of the Airwaves" from back in the old days.

At first I thought Sushi was inhaling way too many fumes from toasting "herbs" from south of the border ... like the ones you use in making "I Love You Alice B. Toklas" brownies. But ... after thinking .... it could have the potential for a happy accident. In the absence of any specific information from Sushi ... I'm making wild guesses here.

We all know that heat causes proteins to seize up. Think about browning chicken in fat before we finish it off in the oven. By causing the proteins on the outside to seize up it forms a barrier that makes it harder for moisture to travel through and escape. While it would not be as flavorful .. perhaps Sushi is accomplishing the same thing with boiling water ... the seizing of the outer layers of protein? And, again in the absence of any in-depth info from Sushi ... perpahs his "boiling" is really just "blanching" the chicken just enough for that to happen?

Of course:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEADLY SUSHI

When I HAD a grill I would boil the chicken for an about 40 minutes. I would then but on seasoning and plop it on the grill.

Humm .... that's a whole nother can of worms. At that point the chicken would be done and the grilling would just be drying out the skin and adding "post mortum" smoke flavor.

Of course the easiest way to resolve the questions would be for Sushi to try brining befor roasting and compare it to his boil-n-roast and see which is moister.

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